Last view then goodbye to fire and gas

                  Sleeping on the mattress last night probably saved my back and hips but it was definitely hard to climb up out of the tent.  Felt like I was in a hole and thank goodness nobody was filming me trying to get to my feet.  Not sure how Vancouver does it as she's older than me but with no arthritis so guess that's the difference.   Roomie and I get up around 5:30 for one last call of nature and then she says she's going to go to the gas crater for sunrise.  I certainly would have been willing to try and get in the tent hole one more time for some more shut eye but sunrise is a better idea.  We grab our cameras and flashlights and start for the crater.   Amazingly, we are not the first ones to arrive.  Another of our tour members, S2 (we have two people with the same name), has set up his tripod and is waiting patiently for the sun also.  We circle the crater and then join him on the small hill above the crater.  It's getting lighter and lighter but not sure it is going to be a spectacular sunrise.  There is some wind and the dust devils swirl off the heated air above the crater and head towards the hill.  S2 has been trying to get a photo of them but without much luck.  His camera does this 3 shot composite thing that mine doesn't and I am so jealous of that ability of the camera to take 3 shots and put the colors and such together to make one super photo.  well, heck.  I'll do what I always do - just take more photos.

                More group members are coming over to the crater now.  It's light enough to be without the flashlight now and we can see them coming.  Another group had been camped here last night as well but they were already gone by the time we walked to the crater this morning.  Seems a shame to miss the sunrise.   And finally the sun pops up!  Not the best sunrise but still awesome over the gas crater.

                  There's a lot of activity over at the camp now and looks like people are up and taking down tents and such and I am ready for another call of nature so I say goodbye to the crater and head back to camp.  Pull out my air mattress and let it deflate and am busy putting my stuff away so we can pack it up in the car.   Breakfast this morning is a wonderful buffet of fruit and yoghurt in cups and coffee or tea.  OK, that's pretty much a joke but it was a good breakfast for the desert while people are staggering out of their tents and a few group members are still suffering from the late night party and drinking into all hours.  Snoring still issues from a couple of tents but eventually everyone staggers out into the daylight and has some food and packs up their stuff.  The drivers are much faster at dropping the tents and storing them away so we give up trying to help as basically we are just getting in their way.  Sometimes it's very nice to be waited on and be kind of useless.  Our tour leader tells everyone it's time to head out and if anyone wants a last look at the crater, we'll pick them up on the way out of the valley.  About half the group heads over - the half that wasn't over there for the sunrise.  And then it is time to get into the cars and start our convoy back to the city.  We ask to stop on the way back to get a photo of the camel crossing signs and the sand dune barriers built along the roadside.

                   The drivers misunderstood the "stop for a camel crossing sign" and after passing about 4 nice signs, we swerved to the side of the road as there were actual camels crossing the road.  This is what they thought we wanted to see.  Of course, that was a nice bonus and equally, of course, the camels were not crossing anywhere near a sign.  We also got some photos of the sand barriers.  These are squares of thick grasses or reeds that are built next to the road, blocks and blocks of them, that keep the sand off the road.  I jokingly told the other two group members in my car that the barriers were actually 7' tall and the 1 1/2' that we saw sticking out of the sand was all that was left exposed.  They believed me for about a minute.    Later we found a camel crossing sign to stop and take photos of it but the head had been shot off the camel.  So we had a headless camel crossing sign.  Shades of Sleepy Hollow.

              Outside of town the convoy stopped to wash the cars.  There is a law that cars cannot go about Ashgabat dirty.  We were pretty dirty having been in the desert and dusty and all but the car wash places were closed for some reason so the drivers had to wash the cars themselves.  Our driver was not very happy about that.  Took around 20 minutes and some more camels crossed the road while we were waiting.  Also a lovely outhouse with no roof and 3 walls was available to those of us who needed it.  I always need it.  Trying to position oneself over a hole while staying hidden behind a wall what opens onto a back street that seemed to have a lot of traffic was not one of my finest moments but one manages.

               The afternoon was free so suggestions were made for different museums and hiring of cars to go visit different sites.  I suggested the National Museum which I thought was really good and also the old fortress of Nisa which I visited last time.  My car mates and S2 all thought that sounded good as well so we made arrangements with the guide to hire one of the cars and drivers to take us.  Then as we pulled into our hotel, everyone realized that the museums were closed today.  great.  However the carpet museum was open.  It was suggested that we go there instead and get an English speaking guide to take us around and then on to Nisa.   We all wanted time to shower and change clothes so that handled, we met to go off for the afternoon.

               S2 had been to the carpet museum before so he opted to walk around and take photos while we were inside and we arranged for the driver to return for us in an hour.  Germany was with us and he also spoke Russian which was good because our driver spoke Russian but no English so Germany was busy making the return engagement arrangements with the driver.  Vancouver, Germany and I went into the museum where we were greeted by a couple of ladies who asked if we wanted a tour.  the price for admission was 13 Manat.  The price for an English speaking guide was 26 Manat - a person.  We had decided to go for the top and asked for the guide.  We are then told there is no guide available.  Gee, why ask if we want it.  As our driver had already left, we paid our 13 Manat for admission only and went into the museum and started looking at carpets.  They were quite nice with a small card next to each one that told where they were from and how big they are and how many knots but that was about it.  We go to the next room where there is a group of about 15 people with - wait for it - an English speaking guide!!!  And the next room had another group of people with an English speaking guide.  Guess they only provide guides for larger groups.  You can do the math.

                We finally go upstairs and there is a young girl standing by the railing.  I ask if she speaks English and she says a little but her command of English is just fine.  We ask some questions about some of the carpets in the room and suddenly we have our English speaking guide and she is happy to show us around some of the carpets and such and leads us to various rooms and tells us things and we didn't have to pay for it.  I would have given her a tip but by the time we were ready to leave, she had disappeared.

              Vancouver heads off to the toilets - real toilets, while Germany and I are looking at the small selection of tabletop carpets that they have for sale.  We each choose one.  We have to get certificates for anything carpet like to be able to take it out of the country.   I am walking with a stick for the arthritis and the saleslady takes Germany and my passport and the rugs onto an elevator and disappears.  Our little guide said he would get the certificates for us and not to worry that my passport would come back OK.  They thought it would be hard for me to maneuver the elevator with my walking stick?   Made me nervous.  Vancouver comes back from the toilets and we are just waiting now for our carpet certificates and Germany to return.  S2 is outside with our driver so Vancouver goes out to join him.  I am standing next to the front desk and a woman enters with a huge bag of material.  She has brought material to the ladies at the museum for them to pick out dress fabric.  I so wanted to buy some of it myself but restrained myself.  The ladies are chattering and pulling out fabric and I'm standing there like a klutz trying to ask questions but not be intrusive.  Still, it was quite interesting to watch and I got the story on how they pick fabrics, take them to a seamstress and get their dresses made.  They usually have 2 or 3 that they get a year maybe if they are in a business that allows them to spend that much on dresses.  fascinating.   Finally they whisk the bag of fabric into a back room as the head guide appears with her English speaking group to shoo them out the door.  Guess it's a no no is most cultures to conduct private business, like buying fabric, when the boss is around.

               It takes Germany about 1/2 hour getting the certificates before he appears with them and the carpets and my passport.  He says that the experience was worth the price of the carpet square ($30) because the bureaucracy he watched to get this piece of paper that one is supposed to show at the airport to leave the country was incredible.  Plus, she spelled his name wrong so had to start over on his certificate.  He signed my name since I was too feeble to go downstairs via the elevator.  They told us we would need to show the certificate at the airport and be required to pay a small fee, maybe 3 or 4 Manat or dollars, we weren't sure which.  I never did and got out of the country with my carpet.  Of course, by then, I have two large carpets in my suitcase so they weren't concerned with any small blips on the scanner.     Finally we are off to Nisa.

              Nisa is a UNESCO site.  Years ago, on my first visit, there wasn't too much there except some excavated ruins and rooms.  It appears now that they are rebuilding it but using the same techniques that were used originally so it is going quite slowly but there was quite a difference between now and when I first visited.  Many walls are back up and there are some warrens between rooms now that weren't there before.  We climb the uneven stairway to the observation tower.  Up onto the tower and we can see the Health Walk which is a walk through the hills of around 8 km.  Our tour leader says it is difficult in spots which is why we chose not to do it, out of deference for me.  But it looks interesting and supposedly you can see Iran from some of the heights of the Health Walk.   Some of our group had planned to do it.

              As we are standing on the observation platform, Vancouver gets stung by a bee and we have nothing with us to relieve it so she valiantly keeps going even though her neck is hurting.  We keep checking to make sure nothing is swelling.   Down from the platform and up the sidewalk where we meet some of our group members who are leaving.  They were the ones who had been doing the Health Walk but they tell us it was closed.  wow.  Museums and Health Walk all close on Mondays.  They tell us to find the round room inside and also someone is making bricks plus there is a big urn in one of the rooms.  Also there is a local guide who will show you things.  Unfortunately, the local guide was also leaving as we walked in and he never came back.

              We spent some time wandering around Nisa but without signs and a guide, the rooms were a best guess for us as to what they might have been used for and who lived here and everything.  Still it was quite enjoyable.  But Roomie's bee sting was hurting and it was awfully hot out there in the sun so we headed back to the hotel.  We have the evening free and tomorrow we head off to Dashoguz.

The Darvaza flaming gas crater - OMG. spectacular

                   Our second day of touring and we are heading for the desert to see the gas crater.  This was not on the itinerary the first time I came to Turkmenistan.  As it was apparently an "industrial accident" that happened 40 years ago, when drilling for gas, I wondered why we hadn't come.  Way back in 2006, the roads didn't go that far, or didn't go far enough or weren't good enough or whatever.  Anyway, something new for me and very happy to be viewing it.

                  We are caravaning out into the desert in about 7 4x4 vehicles.  Each car has a driver and 3 tour members.  Our first stop will be in a village away from the city where we will have a typical lunch that the family will prepare for us.  We did this stop in 2006 as well but different village, different family.  Pretty much the same lunch though.   As we pull into the village, we stop a bit before getting there and look around the village a bit, why I have no clue but it was fun.  Some of more intrepid photographers wander off to get shots of camels, old Russian trucks, school buildings, local ladies, local hotshots on motorcycles, and more.  I am trying to learn to be a better photographer so I emulate some of the professionals and spend a lot of time trying to get a good shot of the grill of truck.  that was hard because it involved using my poor arthritic knees to stoop down to get the shot.  I hope the professional shots were much better because I looked at all of my grill shots and wondered why I did that.

               On to the local house.  We pull into the driveway and there is a young girl standing in the doorway of a yurt in a white dress.  This dress is awesome and is probably her best dress for special occasions.  As we had passed a schoolyard full of kids, she was staying home especially for us to recite a welcome poem.  Poor girl was half terrified of all the weird looking strangers piling out of the cars and started reciting a couple of times before her mom let her continue to the end.  Her mom stood to the side to prompt her as needed.  Of course we have absolutely no idea what she said but she was lovely doing it.  Once finished, she was out of the doorway of the yurt and into the house quick as can be and a couple of minutes later exited the house in her school uniform and took off running.  Either she hated being late for school or she had to escape the strangers!

              Our hostess was the matriarch of the family even though grandmother was still in evidence bustling around helping to cook the meal and clean as fires were finished and pots were done.  Two grown daughters helped with the cooking and serving.  We filed into a room with floor seating.   Already some veggies and stuff ready to serve were waiting for us.  Then as everyone took a seat on the floor (except for me as my arthritis doesn't work that way and our tour leader always finds me a chair!  What a guy!) the food starts coming.  We get a broth/soup thing-y with a big hunk of meat on a bone in it along with some noodles.  It was sort of tasty but didn't much care for the meat and bone.  Bread is being passed around as well as the veggies which can be added to the soup.  We also got the traditional plov - a rice dish.

               After eating, we are allowed to have a look around the home compound but while they said we could look in the house, I don't think anyone did.  that's rather invasive.  One of the daughters was busy cooking up donuts in hot oil over the fire while the other daughter was busy rolling them out and cutting them up for the oil.  these are so simple and yet so delicious.  I asked our guide if we could get a scarf tying demonstration as we see the women all over Turkmenistan with scarves on their heads.  Mama was happy to show us and to our surprise, the scarf tying consists of two scarfs that are tied onto the head.  never would have guessed that.

                Almost time to leave but we have a moment to go look at the family's camels.  two young camels that are happy to eat leaves from our hands.  Nice camels.  Then back in the cars and off in our convoy for the water crater first.  I believe that all three of the craters were industrial accidents while trying to drill for gas.  The water crater is around 35 meters deep (from the top to the water) but honestly I'm guessing at the depth.  We were told but I sure don't remember.  There are gas bubbles escaping from the water so you see some blurbs as you stand there.  Unfortunately, people have thrown in a lot of plastic bottles so there is a debris line crossing the water.  We threw in some rocks just to see how deep it was and listen to them kerplunk.

               Back in the cars and off to the mud crater.  This crater seems to be about the same depth but instead of a deep pool of water, there is a layer of mud across the bottom.  there were about 3 or 4 pockets where the mud was on fire.  Both of these craters are unstable so you must be careful where you walk and not get too close.  That said, we all climbed over the rope barriers and got as close as we dared.  Our guide seemed to know where not to walk so he would warn us, we'd stay away from that spot and peer down into the pits for photos.  Plus the sun was going down so there were some great shadows displayed on the walls of the craters.

              Finally it is back into the cars and off for the last crater.  We turn off the main road and head up over some dunes and hills.  Argentina climbs out of the window and sits on the edge of the car as we drive up the hills, photographing all the way.  What a character.  I was watching as we were in the car behind him and I'm thinking, "I could do that, totally!" and then I didn't.  Dang it hurts getting old and not so limber!

               The cars in front of us are stopping and by the time our car had stopped, the first two cars were unloaded and one of the group members was halfway down the slope heading towards a large hole in the ground.  I somehow was expecting leaping flames to come shooting out of the ground but what I saw was a deceptive hole that had a rosy glow and heat waves shimmering off of it.  By the time I got out of the car, the first members of the group were almost to the hole and they had become very, very, very small.  The hole in the ground was immense, huge, enormous, large, gigantic.  Now we are all out of the cars and walking rapidly towards the hole where it gets warmer as we get closer and more magnificent and awesome.  The flames are not leaping out of the hole but the hole is so deep that the flames are leaping inside of the hole, on all sides, and down into the middle of the crater.  We are warned to stay several feet away as the crater is growing and parts of it slide off into the crater every year.  Wow oh Wow!

              Cameras are snapping like crazy, videos being filmed, walking around the crater, watching the flames, feeling the heat, watching the heat haze shimmer.  OMG.  what a spectacle.  There are more than a few people who came on this tour just to see this and it's well worth it.  The cars have left and driven about 1/2 mile or more away to set up our camp for the night (I brought a blow up mattress for my arthritis) but we are all standing here watching the flames and talking and enjoying this "industrial accident" so very much.  There are two hills and our guide points to the one on the right which has a clearly defined path leading to the summit.  He says we can oversea the crater from there so a bunch of us start climbing to the top of this hill.  It gives us a great view of the crater and the valley around it, our camp in the distance, and more hills and such.  Sunset is minutes away so after snapping a bunch of photos on top of the hill, I go back down to the crater and walk to the opposite side so I can get the sunset.  really wonderful.

             My roommate, Vancouver, and I start for the camp finally and pick a tent and I blow up my mattress along with some help from the youngest member of the group who is a swimmer and runner so she had a lot more hot air than me!  We picked a tent on the end so we can circle around it in the middle of the night and not have to go too terribly far for the call of nature.  As Vancouver and I are both in our sixties, we know there will be several night time trips to the "outhouse".

           The drivers are busy cooking our dinner of kebabs and chicken and potatoes and soon it is ready for a sit down on the sand.  Luckily I can take the end and stretch out my arthritic legs and not have to worry about them cramping at the moment.  We enjoy the dinner and the company and as the last kebabs are tucked away into tummies and the temperature drops a bit, most of us grab our flashlights and start walking back to the crater which is now a wonderful glow coming from the hole.  Certainly not hard to find in the dark.  And our tour leader has very wisely placed a blinky light on top of his tent so we can find our way back to the tents.

            Almost the entire group has gathered at the crater.  We are all snapping away again and videoing again like we haven't taken any photos at all yet.  it's just magnificent and each time you look at it, the scene changes as the fires flicker and waver and flare.  Argentina has his tripod and he is a master at running around to create effects and then jumps into the photos himself as well.  We are having a laughing good time while he is working on the photos and creations and jumping around in the darkness and the light from the fires.  The couple from Australia have also gotten engaged!  What a night.  They were standing off to the side in the darkness and he proposed.  She was so excited when they came back to join the group and as luck would have it this time, one of the other members noticed something special happening and turned his camera to the happy couple just as he dropped to his knee and popped the question.  What fun indeed.

           We spent a couple of happy hours cavorting around the gas crater like it was our own personal "mouth of hell" playground.  It was just so impressive and wonderful.  And again, it's been burning for 40 years!.  Finally, I really had to head back to the camp because I was pretty dead on my feet and could have been in danger of landing in the crater if I stayed there much longer.  My roommate, Vancouver, and I started back and zeroed in on the blinky light.  Back at the camp, we strolled out behind our tent, far enough I hope, to be discrete while we took care of our business then clambered into our tent.  My mattress had me about 8" above my roommate.  thank goodness we were on level ground so she wasn't in danger of me falling off onto her and smushing her.   The rest of the group strolled in from the crater at various times and there was someone outside having a party until around 2 a.m. before the entire group got into their tents and got quiet.   What a night.